A portion of a three-storey building housing the orthopedic wing of the Kottayam Medical College Hospital collapsed on July 2, killing one and injuring at least two others. The incident has sparked widespread criticism of the Kerala state government, particularly the Health Department led by Minister Veena George, for its handling of public health infrastructure and rescue operations.
The deceased has been identified as Bindu, a native of Thalayolaparambu in Kottayam district. Bindu had arrived at the hospital on July 1 with her husband Vishrutan to accompany their daughter, who was undergoing treatment. On the morning of the incident, Bindu went to use the bathroom on the third floor of the old building and got trapped when a part of the structure collapsed. Though relatives raised an alarm and filed a missing person complaint, rescue operations were delayed due to official claims that the building was unused and vacant. Bindu was eventually pulled from the debris nearly two and a half hours later, by which time she was already dead.
കോട്ടയം മെഡിക്കൽ കോളജിൽ കെട്ടിടം തകർന്ന് ഒരു മരണം. മൃതദേഹം പുറത്തെടുത്തത് രണ്ടര മണിക്കൂറിന് ശേഷം#Kottayam #MedicalCollege #KeralaNews #MCHKottayam
Kottayam Medical College building collapse: The incident occurred in the 14th ward, raising concerns about infrastructure safety. pic.twitter.com/6H7mHTqdSu— Manorama Online (@manoramaonline) July 3, 2025
The tragedy unfolded even as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s review meeting was underway in the same district. Health Minister Veena George and Minister V.N. Vasavan visited the site and maintained that the building was no longer in use, implying that no rescue effort was immediately necessary. Their assertion that the building was only being used for storage, and that it was already decommissioned, played a key role in delaying the emergency response.
This official stance was strongly contradicted by patients and their relatives, who stated that several individuals were using the space and many had escaped the collapse by sheer luck. Eyewitnesses at the scene reported hearing a loud noise and seeing the structure give way abruptly. The delay in confirming that people were trapped inside the building significantly reduced the chances of survival for victims like Bindu.
Adding to the chaos, a child named Aleena Vincent (11), from Meenangadi in Wayanad, suffered injuries while standing beside her grandmother, who was admitted in the nearby 10th ward. Aleena’s injuries were declared non-serious by doctors. Another hospital staffer, Amal Pradeep from the emergency department, sustained minor injuries while assisting in evacuating patients. People from adjacent wards, 10, 11, and 14, were immediately moved out after the collapse.
Can you believe?
This is a building in Kottayam Medical College, which collapsed today and one lady died !! pic.twitter.com/O9mVMo4069— നചികേതസ് / Nachiketas (@nach1keta) July 3, 2025
The hospital’s medical superintendent admitted that the structure had been identified as weak and that patients from three wards had been shifted earlier. However, the official claimed ignorance regarding how people had continued accessing the building, raising questions about administrative lapses and the enforcement of safety warnings.
Opposition voices, including MLA Chandy Oommen, led a protest on the hospital premises, pointing to the failed and delayed response. He criticized the state government for spreading misinformation and claimed that authorities deliberately attempted to downplay the situation by stating the building was unoccupied.
This incident is the latest in a series of alarming developments that point to the declining state of Kerala’s healthcare infrastructure under the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government. Once hailed as a model for its public health systems, Kerala’s hospitals are now increasingly plagued by poor maintenance, administrative failures, and lack of accountability. Health Minister Veena George’s tenure has come under severe scrutiny, with health workers themselves alleging that the department has consistently failed to respond proactively to crises and safety concerns in major government hospitals.
കോട്ടയം മെഡിക്കൽ കോളേജ് കെട്ടിടം പൊളിഞ്ഞു വീണു..
തിരുവന്തപുരം മെഡിക്കൽ കോളേജിൽ തകർന്ന് സിസ്റ്റമാണെങ്കിൽ കോട്ടയത് തകർന്ന് മെഡിക്കൽ കോളേജ് കെട്ടിടം തന്നെ
ആരോഗ്യ വകുപ്പ് ലോക പരാജയം#kottayammedicalcollege #VeenaGeorge pic.twitter.com/ogYFHUtVQo
— Nithin Babu (@Nithinbabu97) July 3, 2025
The Kottayam Medical College tragedy stands as a grim reminder of systemic negligence and the cost of complacency in healthcare governance. Bindu’s death was not merely the result of a collapsing structure but a collapse of responsibility at multiple levels of the state administration.
